Disclaimer. I don't own HP.
A/N wow!! I have so many nice reviews!! Thank you everyone who reviewed, I love you all!! =)
Chapter fourteen ~ Christmas Shopping
That night the boys lay in bed, and Hermione had sneaked into their room so they could all talk.
"I can't believe that Malfoy killed his own wife."
"I can," Hermione said darkly. "It's like what Hagrid said once, nothing matters to them any more only serving the Dark Lord."
"Suppose. Maybe that's why Malfoy juniour is so unbearbale, I mean with a father like that." Ron said.
Hermione nodded absently, she was still thinking about Draco, as he was on the train, a lonely boy crying for his mother.
"Harry you okay?" Ron asked.
Harry nodded. "Yeah." He was thinking about the mad glint of Rayola's eyes, the look he had seen in Sirius's.
"I'm glad I'm here." Hermione said suddenly.
"Huh?" Harry said, breaking from his daydream.
"Well, if I could chose anywhere to be right at this moment, it would be with you two here at Grimmauld Place."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, Hermione."
Ron grinned. "I'd like to be queing up to buy tickets to the next quidditch world cup."
Hermione picked up a cushion and hit him with it.
"Honestly, Ron!"
"What?" He asked, laughing.
The next morning the three went down to breakfast together to find Rayola sitting alone at the table.
She grabbed Harry as he walked in.
"It's a trap, they've locked us in, there's no way out. We're all gonna die!" she screamed. Harry tried to free himself from her clasp.
Ron was hiding a grin and Hermione was looking almost scared.
"Don't let them fool you, they may look nice, but on the inside they're waiting, waiting to pounce, waiting to kill!"
"Rayola." Came a stern voice from the door. the three looked up to see Snape standing in the doorway. "Shut up before you wake up Mrs Black."
Rayola reluctantly let go of Harry, who then retreated away as far as possible. She stared down at the table for a few minutes, then got up.
"I'm not mad you know." She said, as she walked over to her brother. "If you ask me, I'm the only one who's sane is this loony bin." She said, throwing her arms up in the air.
At that moment Tonks walked in, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Rayola.
"Come on, Ray. You know you shouldn't be down here!" Tonks took hold of her arm, but Rayola shrugged her off.
"I'm not mad, not stupid!" she said, as she walked from the room. Tonks turned to Severus.
"I'm sorry."
"Spare me!" he snapped and walked from the kitchen.
Tonks sighed. She looked over at Harry and the others with a grim smile. "I'm supposed to be looking after her. Poor Rayola she doesn't know where she is half the time, and when she does she doesn't know why she's there." Tonks sighed again. "Well, at least she is still alive."
She took a piece of toast from the rack on the table. but flung it back down again. "I better go and check on her." she said, glumly.
Hermione looked over at Harry, and Ron stifled a laugh.
"You ingrates, squatting in my house.I got rid of my son for a this! Vermin, that's all you are." Mrs Black yelled from the hall.
"We're livin' in a flaming mad house." Ron muttered.
Harry got up.
"Harry."
"How can she say that about.about him?" he marched out of the kitchen and flung open the curtain concealing the picture.
"Well, well , well, what have we here?" She grumbled.
"Sirius was an amazing person, how dare you say those things about him. He's worth a million of you and more. He gave his life so we could live. You're scum that's what you are!" Harry shouted at the shocked Mrs Black. Before she could reply he pulled the curtains shut with a snap.
"What's going on?" Snape shouted angrily down the stairs.
Rayola ran down, and stared with her haunted eyes straight at Harry.
"Sirius." She choked. "Sirius is dead."
Harry nodded. Hermione and Ron were standing behind him.
"I'm sorry." he said. "Did you know him?"
Rayola smiled, and when she did it lit up her whole face, the haunted look almost vanished from her eyes, she looked human again. She nodded happily, as she saw Snape walking down the stairs with a terrified Tonks, and a tired Moony.
"Sirius and I, we were great friends. But he has gone with Narcissa, so he will be happy." She said, mystically. "Narcissa loved Sirius, she often told me so. She was such a gentle person, wouldn't hurt a fly." Snape put his hand on Rayola's shoulder, it was almost a warning to stop her talking. She looked at him and he took her hand and guided her back up the stairs.
As she retreated to her bedroom Harry heard her mutter, "Narcissa and Sirius are together at last." Moony yawned and looked at Harry. "I take it, that it was you, shouting at Mrs Black."
Harry nodded. "She needed to be told."
Hermione smiled. "Come on, Harry, let's go and have breakfast."
Harry allowed himself to be led back into the kitchen just as Rayola had been led up the stairs. It was almost as though they were being kept apart.on purpose.
Later that day Moony took the trio down Diagon's Ally to do some Christmas shopping. Tonks was left to look after Rayola, and Snape had some 'business' to attend to.
Harry and Ron spent over an hour in the Quidditch supply shops, Harry found himself staring at the Firebolt, remembering the generous gift off his godfather. Hermione pulled them away to Florish and Blotts.
"Don't buy me a book this year Hermione." Ron said, with a groan.
She sighed. "I wasn't planning to Ron, but you can buy me this if you like."
She held out a book on defensive magic, Harry grabbed it off her. "I wouldn't mind this, myself."
Harry went into the pet shop (A/N the place he bought Hedwig, sorry I can't remember the name, Eptorium Owlery, or something like that!!) he looked around at the cages and various gifts he could buy for Hedwig. Hermione was waiting outside. It was standing there, holding bags full of books that she saw Draco again. this time he was with a girl about twenty. They were walking along, and Draco looked almost happy. Hermione shrank in, she didn't want Draco to see her.
"Hey who's Malfoy with?" Ron said, as he emerged from the shop.
"Mal." He began.
Hermione threw her hand in front of his mouth. "Have a bit of consideration Ron, the boy has just lost his mother!" she hissed.
Harry emerged carrying a bundle of food treats for Hedwig. Moony had gone of to get a drink at The Leaky Caldron and they were to meet him there in an hour.
"I know," Ron said. "Why don't we go and see Fred and George?"
"Oh yeah, I forget they had a shop down here, have you been there before?"
"Once, with mum. She went to inspect the premises, she refused to lose them like she lost Percy. After a while she agreed if that's what they want to do and they have the money for it, let them do it." Ron said, leading them down a side street. at last they came to a stop outside a grubby little shop, hardly noticeable.
Ron pulled his friends inside.
It was a dimly lit shop with shelves covered with boxes lining the walls. There was an old counter at the back of the shop and behind that a door leading to the storeroom. Ron walked up to the counter and rang the small bell. Meanwhile Harry and Hermione were looking around the shop with interest.
"How can we help." Fred began as he appeared from the store room. "Oh it's you." he muttered.
"Well, you could be a little bit pleased to see me." Ron said, angrily. "I just brought Harry and Hermione to see the shop."
Suddenly there was a loud bang from the store room.
"What's going on?" Hermione said, slightly disapproving.
"Oh it's George, testing out some new products." Fred said, quickly closing the door.
"So how's business?" Harry asked.
Fred grinned. "Well, definitely better since Christmas is nearly here, I can tell you!"
Hermione screamed as she picked up a box and a snake jumped out at her. it slithered along the floor before disappearing into thin air.
Fred groaned. "Oh 'Mione they cost ten galleons."
She blushed and fumbled for her purse. "I'll pay you back."
Fred shook his head. "It don't matter."
"You sure."
Fred grinned. "'Course I'm sure, it's my business in't it?"
"Have you been to number twelve recently?" Harry asked.
Fred nodded. "Yeah, you're staying there, ain't you? mum wasn't very happy 'bout that you know. Something to do with that Rayola."
Hermione nodded. "Snape's sister."
"That's right, well she's a bit round the twist really, ain't she?"
"She's harmless enough." Hermione said, quickly.
"Huh? She went to Azkaban for murder, have you forgotten that?"
"Well, Sirius went to Azkaban for murder, but he wasn't guilty, or dangerous.well he wasn't guilty." Hermione persisted.
Harry turned away at the mention of his godfather.
"Yeah, Hermione but it doesn't mean that everyone in Azkaban is innocent."
"Nor guilty, you should learn the facts before you judge someone."
"You forget one thing Hermione, I was there, I asked Rayola if she'd done it. Ask her if you don't believe me. She said that she'd done it, and was proud o' the fact!"
A/N wow!! I have so many nice reviews!! Thank you everyone who reviewed, I love you all!! =)
Chapter fourteen ~ Christmas Shopping
That night the boys lay in bed, and Hermione had sneaked into their room so they could all talk.
"I can't believe that Malfoy killed his own wife."
"I can," Hermione said darkly. "It's like what Hagrid said once, nothing matters to them any more only serving the Dark Lord."
"Suppose. Maybe that's why Malfoy juniour is so unbearbale, I mean with a father like that." Ron said.
Hermione nodded absently, she was still thinking about Draco, as he was on the train, a lonely boy crying for his mother.
"Harry you okay?" Ron asked.
Harry nodded. "Yeah." He was thinking about the mad glint of Rayola's eyes, the look he had seen in Sirius's.
"I'm glad I'm here." Hermione said suddenly.
"Huh?" Harry said, breaking from his daydream.
"Well, if I could chose anywhere to be right at this moment, it would be with you two here at Grimmauld Place."
Harry smiled. "Thanks, Hermione."
Ron grinned. "I'd like to be queing up to buy tickets to the next quidditch world cup."
Hermione picked up a cushion and hit him with it.
"Honestly, Ron!"
"What?" He asked, laughing.
The next morning the three went down to breakfast together to find Rayola sitting alone at the table.
She grabbed Harry as he walked in.
"It's a trap, they've locked us in, there's no way out. We're all gonna die!" she screamed. Harry tried to free himself from her clasp.
Ron was hiding a grin and Hermione was looking almost scared.
"Don't let them fool you, they may look nice, but on the inside they're waiting, waiting to pounce, waiting to kill!"
"Rayola." Came a stern voice from the door. the three looked up to see Snape standing in the doorway. "Shut up before you wake up Mrs Black."
Rayola reluctantly let go of Harry, who then retreated away as far as possible. She stared down at the table for a few minutes, then got up.
"I'm not mad you know." She said, as she walked over to her brother. "If you ask me, I'm the only one who's sane is this loony bin." She said, throwing her arms up in the air.
At that moment Tonks walked in, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of Rayola.
"Come on, Ray. You know you shouldn't be down here!" Tonks took hold of her arm, but Rayola shrugged her off.
"I'm not mad, not stupid!" she said, as she walked from the room. Tonks turned to Severus.
"I'm sorry."
"Spare me!" he snapped and walked from the kitchen.
Tonks sighed. She looked over at Harry and the others with a grim smile. "I'm supposed to be looking after her. Poor Rayola she doesn't know where she is half the time, and when she does she doesn't know why she's there." Tonks sighed again. "Well, at least she is still alive."
She took a piece of toast from the rack on the table. but flung it back down again. "I better go and check on her." she said, glumly.
Hermione looked over at Harry, and Ron stifled a laugh.
"You ingrates, squatting in my house.I got rid of my son for a this! Vermin, that's all you are." Mrs Black yelled from the hall.
"We're livin' in a flaming mad house." Ron muttered.
Harry got up.
"Harry."
"How can she say that about.about him?" he marched out of the kitchen and flung open the curtain concealing the picture.
"Well, well , well, what have we here?" She grumbled.
"Sirius was an amazing person, how dare you say those things about him. He's worth a million of you and more. He gave his life so we could live. You're scum that's what you are!" Harry shouted at the shocked Mrs Black. Before she could reply he pulled the curtains shut with a snap.
"What's going on?" Snape shouted angrily down the stairs.
Rayola ran down, and stared with her haunted eyes straight at Harry.
"Sirius." She choked. "Sirius is dead."
Harry nodded. Hermione and Ron were standing behind him.
"I'm sorry." he said. "Did you know him?"
Rayola smiled, and when she did it lit up her whole face, the haunted look almost vanished from her eyes, she looked human again. She nodded happily, as she saw Snape walking down the stairs with a terrified Tonks, and a tired Moony.
"Sirius and I, we were great friends. But he has gone with Narcissa, so he will be happy." She said, mystically. "Narcissa loved Sirius, she often told me so. She was such a gentle person, wouldn't hurt a fly." Snape put his hand on Rayola's shoulder, it was almost a warning to stop her talking. She looked at him and he took her hand and guided her back up the stairs.
As she retreated to her bedroom Harry heard her mutter, "Narcissa and Sirius are together at last." Moony yawned and looked at Harry. "I take it, that it was you, shouting at Mrs Black."
Harry nodded. "She needed to be told."
Hermione smiled. "Come on, Harry, let's go and have breakfast."
Harry allowed himself to be led back into the kitchen just as Rayola had been led up the stairs. It was almost as though they were being kept apart.on purpose.
Later that day Moony took the trio down Diagon's Ally to do some Christmas shopping. Tonks was left to look after Rayola, and Snape had some 'business' to attend to.
Harry and Ron spent over an hour in the Quidditch supply shops, Harry found himself staring at the Firebolt, remembering the generous gift off his godfather. Hermione pulled them away to Florish and Blotts.
"Don't buy me a book this year Hermione." Ron said, with a groan.
She sighed. "I wasn't planning to Ron, but you can buy me this if you like."
She held out a book on defensive magic, Harry grabbed it off her. "I wouldn't mind this, myself."
Harry went into the pet shop (A/N the place he bought Hedwig, sorry I can't remember the name, Eptorium Owlery, or something like that!!) he looked around at the cages and various gifts he could buy for Hedwig. Hermione was waiting outside. It was standing there, holding bags full of books that she saw Draco again. this time he was with a girl about twenty. They were walking along, and Draco looked almost happy. Hermione shrank in, she didn't want Draco to see her.
"Hey who's Malfoy with?" Ron said, as he emerged from the shop.
"Mal." He began.
Hermione threw her hand in front of his mouth. "Have a bit of consideration Ron, the boy has just lost his mother!" she hissed.
Harry emerged carrying a bundle of food treats for Hedwig. Moony had gone of to get a drink at The Leaky Caldron and they were to meet him there in an hour.
"I know," Ron said. "Why don't we go and see Fred and George?"
"Oh yeah, I forget they had a shop down here, have you been there before?"
"Once, with mum. She went to inspect the premises, she refused to lose them like she lost Percy. After a while she agreed if that's what they want to do and they have the money for it, let them do it." Ron said, leading them down a side street. at last they came to a stop outside a grubby little shop, hardly noticeable.
Ron pulled his friends inside.
It was a dimly lit shop with shelves covered with boxes lining the walls. There was an old counter at the back of the shop and behind that a door leading to the storeroom. Ron walked up to the counter and rang the small bell. Meanwhile Harry and Hermione were looking around the shop with interest.
"How can we help." Fred began as he appeared from the store room. "Oh it's you." he muttered.
"Well, you could be a little bit pleased to see me." Ron said, angrily. "I just brought Harry and Hermione to see the shop."
Suddenly there was a loud bang from the store room.
"What's going on?" Hermione said, slightly disapproving.
"Oh it's George, testing out some new products." Fred said, quickly closing the door.
"So how's business?" Harry asked.
Fred grinned. "Well, definitely better since Christmas is nearly here, I can tell you!"
Hermione screamed as she picked up a box and a snake jumped out at her. it slithered along the floor before disappearing into thin air.
Fred groaned. "Oh 'Mione they cost ten galleons."
She blushed and fumbled for her purse. "I'll pay you back."
Fred shook his head. "It don't matter."
"You sure."
Fred grinned. "'Course I'm sure, it's my business in't it?"
"Have you been to number twelve recently?" Harry asked.
Fred nodded. "Yeah, you're staying there, ain't you? mum wasn't very happy 'bout that you know. Something to do with that Rayola."
Hermione nodded. "Snape's sister."
"That's right, well she's a bit round the twist really, ain't she?"
"She's harmless enough." Hermione said, quickly.
"Huh? She went to Azkaban for murder, have you forgotten that?"
"Well, Sirius went to Azkaban for murder, but he wasn't guilty, or dangerous.well he wasn't guilty." Hermione persisted.
Harry turned away at the mention of his godfather.
"Yeah, Hermione but it doesn't mean that everyone in Azkaban is innocent."
"Nor guilty, you should learn the facts before you judge someone."
"You forget one thing Hermione, I was there, I asked Rayola if she'd done it. Ask her if you don't believe me. She said that she'd done it, and was proud o' the fact!"